What A Day

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pipetrucker

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 13, 2010
937
1
Following the white rabbit
Tonight finds me in Algona, Iowa.
On Monday I put my truck in the shop to be serviced and to have an oil leak repaired. An oil leak on a commercial vehicle is a serious thing. If a D.O.T. cop in a chicken coup (weigh station) spots it he will put you out of service, write a ticket, and you have to be towed to a repair shop to have it fixed. Of course that is worst case.
I had hoped the leak was something minor but it turned out the be the rear main seal. I had to take the truck down to the engine shop where it would live for a couple of days. Instead of just hanging around I borrowed one of the spare trucks to make a short run while my truck was being repaired.
I grabbed some of my stuff and took a load of generators to Iowa. Naturally, I couldn't think of everything when I grabbed stuff from my truck. It was raining over here today and my rain suit was happily dry back in my truck. Can't say I was the same.
Well, at least I did remember to bring my pillows.
I got the generators unloaded today. The first stop was really easy. It was three trailer mounted generators to a contractors supply shop in Des Moines. It went really well.
The second, and last, stop was a really large generator going to a nursing home in Atlantic. From experience I knew this one would be a pain. I got there at exactly the same time the crane did. It was a narrow driveway and to get to the rear of the building required backing into the driveway from the street, backing around a turn, and through a set of winding curves. All on a really narrow driveway with cars parked on either side.
Oh boy, this was going to be fun.
After looking the whole thing over I showed the guy exactly where I would have to run into the grass and over some curbs to get where I needed to be. He just shrugged and said "It has to be done". After writing out a damage waiver on the bill of lading andd having him sign it I said "No problem".
I got it back there although it did take about 15 minutes at really slow speed. Once the thing was unloaded I had to get 180 miles away to pck up the next load by 3:00PM. It was already 11:45 at this point and the 180 miles was all secondary highway.
I didn't really think I would make it.
I was right to think so.
I stopped at a small fuel stop to use the restroom and grab a sandwich. Now, in my own truck I normally have a key in the ignition switch and another one in my pocket. But remember, I am in a borrowed truck.
I hopped out, hitting the lock button on my way out and closed the door. Just as the door latched I realized that I had left the key in the ignition switch. Oh no! I was now locked out of the truck.
Nothing for it. I needed to use the restroom so I went in, got that bit of business out of the way, and bought a sandwich for the road. Now I just needed to figure out how to get back on the road.
As I thought about the problem I opened one of the side boxes (storage ccompartments on each side of the truck) and looked around. As I tried to find something to help me I noticed the bottom of the sleeper bunk. I remembered it's mounted on hinges and swings open like a foot locker. An idea came upon me.
I pushed up on the bunk and jammed my winch bar in to hold it open. Good. I walked around to other side of the truck and opened the other side box.
Now the challenge. Can a somewhat overweight fellow such as myself actually squeeze into and through the side box, through the bunk opening, and into the truck?
The first challenge was to just get in there. It's about chest high. I needed something to stand on. Looking around I spotted the APU. The cover is diamond plate steel and should hold my weight and stand about a foot high. While something a little taller would be nice, it just might work.
I removed the cover, sat it on the ground under the side box opening and stepped up. OK, just about enough. I got into the side box up to my chest and couldn't go further. Too tight. I removed my coat and tried again. A little better but still a tight squeeze. I needed to do this.
I jammed myself in as far as I could, grabbed the base of the bunk and started pulling myself in. My belt buckle caught on the edge. I sucked in my gut, wiggled myself around and got past it. Great.
Now I had nothing to brace my feet against so I had to just pull myself in as best I could. After some tugging, wiggling, and pulling I finally found myself lying on the floor of the sleeper. I thought "Well, that was different" before getting up, dusting myself off, and grabbing the key from the ignition switch.
Not something I would like to do every day, but it worked.
I hauled tail up the road but was nowhere close to being on time to pick up today, so I am spending the night here at the closest motel to the pick up, some 25 miles away. The motel just happens to have a restaurant/sports bar where I am now typing this.
What a day.

 

pawpaw

Lifer
Jun 25, 2011
1,492
1
cleveland NC
nuttin like a monday on tuesday

i dont feel so bad about my morning i was locked out of the jobsite and the boss showed up as i was trying to break in

 

tslex

Lifer
Jun 23, 2011
1,482
13
Printing this out and heading to truck stop to burgle trucks.
Oh. Wait.
I don't know what KIND of truck this was.
Curses, foiled again.
(I trust your remembered your pipes.)

 

ace57

Lifer
Jun 21, 2011
2,145
1
Mason, I know just what You looked like after having to do it Myself.

 

cyndi

Lifer
Nov 14, 2009
1,049
0
Flowery Branch, GA
Dude, that sucks! At least it makes a good story. :) shit like this is why God made adventurous 11 yo's. "Hey kid, climb up in there and unlock my door. I'll give you $5."

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
I think you have used up your quota of Mondays, this Tuesday, for at least a couple of months.

So, hopefully that'll cover you till after New Year's.

 

maduroman

Part of the Furniture Now
May 15, 2010
662
1
coulda did like a buddy of mine did.
he locked himself out of his truck and after breaking out the window to get back in he noticed the jump seat door was unlocked...
did i mention this was in wyoming.... in january... during a blizard?

 

pipetrucker

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 13, 2010
937
1
Following the white rabbit
LOL thanks guys. It could have been worse I suppose.
Maduroman, this wasn't the same fellow who locked himself out of his truck and it took him a week to get his wife out of it, was it? :D
Philip; Nope, never read it but I suspect I could have written it that day LOL

 
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